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(No Model.)

W. R. FIELD. 1300K HLOLDER.

No. 330,882. Patented Nov. 24, 1885.

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BOOK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,882, dated November 24:, 1885.

Application filed October 4, 1884. Serial No. 144,698. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. FIELD, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is intended more particularly for use in connection with pianos, parlor-organs, and analogous musical instruments for holding the music-book; but it may be useful in other situations. I

The device automatically adjusts itself to hold books of different thicknesses, holding each open properly by a slender bar extending across. It may be adjusted to come between the lines or so near the bottom of the page as to avoid obscuring any portion.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 shows a modification in front elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where they occur.

A is a horizontal board, serving as a platform on which the book is supported by resting its lower edge thereon.

A is an upright board secured on the back edge of A, and extending upward therefrom.

B is a swinging board mounted in front of A, with its upper edge engaged thereto by a strip of muslin, O, pasted upon each, and connecting A and B hingewise.

D D are elastics-ordinary loops of soft vulcanized rubber-each engaged around a projection, b, on the board B and a projection, a, on the board A.

G G are swiveling links, which turn on horizontal pivots g, sunk in mortises in the board A. These links G may be turned into upright positions, in which case they will appear as posts; or they may be turned in variously-inclined positions, or sunk in the mortise, so as to be nearly out of sight.

H is a cross-bar connecting the upper ends of the links G, and connected thereto by pivots h. The cross-bar H, with the links G G, constitutes an adjustable frame, which may be set to hold the cross-bar H at various heights or pressed down so as to be of little or no prominence. The swinging board B is of less thickness than the fixed upright board A. The latter is recessed to allow the swing-board B to sink into it. When the swing-board is thus pushed back, its front surface lies flush with the front surface of the adjacent portions of the upright A.

I I are buttons turning on pivots i, set in the upright board A. When the swing-board B is pressed back to its fullest extent, the but tons I may be turned to hold it there. In this condition the swing board is of no effect. There may be occasions, especially when sheetmusic is used, when it will be desired to dispense with the invention and hold the book by other means.

To use the invention, suppose it to be properly placed on the piano or parlor-organ. The music-book M is inserted in the properly open condition behind the frame G H and between it and the swingboard B. Thelatter is drawn forward by the elastics D, so as to hold the book with proper firmness between itself and the frame G H, whether the book be thick or. thin. If the book is thick, the swing-board B is pressed back nearly in the plane of the upright A. If the book is thin, the board B will swing forward to a corresponding extent. Whatever the thickness of the book, the swingboard B, actuated by its elastics D, will move forward to hold it. The frame G H may be adjusted higher or lower, so as to bring the cross-bar H on a blank portion of the book. The bar is so slender that it will not greatly obstruct the use of the page, even if it extends across a line of music or a line of reading. Ordinarily the elastics will not be removed,

and the buttons I turned to hold the swinging 7 board B back, except when the devices are lying stored or being transported.

Modifications may be made in theforms and proportions of the details within wide limits without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

The swing-board B and the rigid upright board A may be decorated either by scrollsawing .or otherwise making them openworked, or by painting, enameling, gilding, or otherwise ornamenting the surface. The back IOC may be considerably longer than is prefer to so employ it, placing it in the required position on a musical instrument, music-stand, desk, writing-desk, or other situation where it may be required but it may be made as a part of a piano, organ, or other instrument, if de- In such case the platform A is the orsired. dinary platform which receives the book, and the upright Ais or may be the ordinary bookrack, which folds forward out of the way when it is required to close the instrument. Thin leather may be employed instead of muslin to make the hinge-connection between A and B. Metal hinges may be employed, if preferred. The bar H will serve successfully as a stop or holder for sheet-music when the swing-board B is secured by the buttons I I in a flattened condition and the frame G H has been completely turned down.

I claim as my invention- 1. The board B, swinging on a hinge, G, in combination with the horizontal board A, upright A, links G, and cross-bar H, and with suitable springs urging forward the board B,

so as to gently compress books of various thicknesses, as herein specified.

I can dispense with the but- 2, In a portable book-holder, the buttons I, recessed'upright A, and swinging board B, hinged at O, in combination with each other and with removable springs D, arranged for joint operation, substantially as herein specified.

' 3. 'The book holder described, having the horizontal board A, upright A, swing-board .B, .hingeG, springs D, links G, and cross-bar -H,'combined to constitute a portable device adapted to hold books of various thicknesses, as herein specified.

4. In a book-holder, as described, the swinging board B, cut away to form lug b, and the base A, cut away to form lug a, combined with the removable spring D and a stop, as-G H, as specified.

5. In a book-holder, as described, the combination, with the links G, having narrow con necting cross-bar H, of the base A, mortised, as shown, the links G being pivoted in said mortises and the mortises being of a size to receive the links when folded down, as set forth. j

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at New York city, N. Y., this 11th day of September, 1884., in two subscribing witnesses.

w. R. FIELD.

Witnesses:

M. F. BOYLE, CHARLES R. SEARLE.

the presence of 

